Researching the Civil War can be rewarding and fascinating. I particularly like to dig through the annals of history in search of information about women who lived through this turbulent and very bloody time.

Before the war, elite southern society considered their wives and women, in general, no better or no worse than their black slaves. At birth, girls became the property of their fathers (mothers had no ‘legal’ claim to their children). When they married, women became the property of their husbands, and so did any land or valuables they might have owned prior to that marriage. Their marital position placed them in charge of a household that catered to the needs of their “white family and their husband’s slaves”.

Before marriage, women were not expected to need much of an education because most married at a young age and spent the rest of their lives engaged in domestic work. After marriage, the fear of continued pregnancy gave them cause for worry as many of them died in childbirth.

Despite some of the gloomy statistics of how Southern women were regarded in society, many stepped out of their standard roles and excelled in situations far beyond their educations or knowledge when Civil War came to their towns. There are countless stories of women serving as nurses in make-shift hospitals, women making three hundred uniforms in one month for their particular army, and women inventing artificial limbs and medicinal concoctions for wounded soldiers. Although rare, some women even disguised themselves and served as soldiers in both the Confederate and Union armies.

But there was another type of soldier who proved to be more relevant and effective for both the Cause and the Union. These women were spies. They wore hoop skirts for a uniform, and their arsenal included charm, grace, and guile. Female spies performed a very valuable service to the war effort regardless of which side they spied for.

One of the most famous was Belle Boyd—beautiful, educated, and quite daring. She was the daughter of a Virginia tobacco plantation owner. One of the elite in Southern society, she became a war agent at the age of seventeen when she shot and killed a Northern soldier as he attacked her mother. That daring act was followed by many others after she was appointed courier for Generals Beauregard and Jackson. Her autobiography, Belle Boyd, in Camp and Prison, recounted stories of her dangerous deeds which spanned a period of nearly three years.

Belle once rode thirty miles overnight with news of a Yankee attack, and her successful mission was responsible for saving many confederate lives, but not without a personal attack upon her character. The Northern press labeled her a “village courtesan” who gained her secrets through “sexual conduct.” Belle was not discouraged but continued to gather vital information for the South. She used her feminine innocence to obtain the battle plan that allowed Jackson’s troops to capture Front Royal, Virginia. A Union major complained that Belle Boyd had done more damage to the Union than half the men of the Confederacy. Six times, she had been captured, sometimes imprisoned for months but often released. She was certainly an example of a Southern lady who made a difference through her role in the Civil War.

The heroine in Land of Falling Stars, Sophia Whitfield, is not a spy, but like many women of the time, she suffers drastic repercussions when the Civil War came to Fredericksburg, VA. I think the blurb sums up perfectly Sophia’s life as she struggles to save her beloved childhood home, Arbor Rose.

Land of Falling Stars

The United States is torn asunder by Civil War.

Two men, linked together by their love for one woman, Sophia Whitfield, answer the call of duty.

An arranged marriage to Jesse James Grantham has been in the works since Sophia and Jesse were children. When he leaves to fight for his beloved South, he promises Sophia they’ll whip those Johnny Rebs in no time and when he returns, they’ll get married under her mother’s rose arbor.

Sophia’s best friend from childhood, Gavin Langdale, enlists to fight for the North. Why does she feel as if he’s taking her heart with him the day he leaves for war? She loves Jesse…doesn’t she?

After Sophia’s parents die in a fire, she struggles to save Arbor Rose. Most of the slaves have run off, the South is in tatters and so is the only home she’s ever known. Another bluecoat is staggering down the hill, coming to steal the last of her meager possessions. Before the hated enemy has a chance to commit the vilest of acts, she shoots him.

And then discovers its Gavin, the champion of her youth.

Dark secrets lurk in Gavin’s memory, secrets much darker than the despicable acts of war. He carries a message for Sophia, a missive from Jesse. When he finds the courage to tell her what really happened to Jesse on that bloody battlefield, she’ll hate him—hate him until she draws her last breath.

A powerful story of lies, betrayal and a love that burns brighter than all the stars in Heaven.

****

What reviewers are saying about Land of Falling Stars

“Land of Falling Stars lured me in immediately with its lyrical title and instantly captivated me with the haunting love story of Gavin and Sophia.”

“The author pens a story that is unlike any other. Land of Falling Stars makes you believe in the possibility of retribution and the hope of finding your brass ring in the last place you look.”

“Diablo has penned a beautiful and haunting love story full of passion, deception, danger. Land of Falling Stars will leave you breathless and longing for more!”

****

If you’d like to read more about the Civil War and Sophia and Gavin’s haunting love story, you can buy Land of Falling Starsfor 99 cents for a limited time.  Available on all venues here: https://books2read.com/FallingStars

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“I so appreciate you following me on the Net!”

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A Reminder about CONTESTS!

These contests are still open! Enter while you still can!

1. November’s Getting Away From Me! (Contest)
2. Reina Torres: Almost a Mermaid (Contest)
3. Tell me a story… (Contest)
4. Flashback: Tarzan & Janine (Contest)

The first two end at midnight tomorrow night! So be sure to enter now!

The Puzzle

And because, maybe, you need a little romantic inspiration, here’s a puzzle just for you!  Believe me, you want to solve this one! 🙂

If you had told me five years ago, “Carol, you’re going to self-publish books, create short stories for competitions, and write a few magazine articles,” I would have had trouble believing it. I did write creatively now and then. I never considered it as a serious venture.

Occasionally, I would have flights of fancy, composing poems and plays. I was enamored of an early 70s television show, a western with handsome guys in the lead roles, Alias Smith and Jones. I wrote an episode. I even included timing for commercial breaks in the 30 minute show, but it was only for me. I never considered submitting it. I was just a kid too.

So, how did I start writing seriously? One day, about four years ago, I was using the computer doing the usual thing—researching on the Internet and checking out social media. Then, something hit me, metaphorically speaking. I wanted to create a book. The desire seemed to just come out of the blue.

For now, where my books are concerned, I do everything myself—from start to finish including cover design. It’s a lot of work, but incredibly rewarding when your concept comes into being.

Resonance is my first romance, and it has a time travel twist.

There’s a lot of me in Bea, one of my protagonists. We both love music—in particular the classic rock of the 70s and 80s and enjoy art museums. In fact, the art museum in the book is based on the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in Richmond where I’m a frequent visitor.

She and I jump at the chances to sail on ships and boats. We love going to festivals that feature tall ships—those grand, masted ladies of the sea and checking out the artisans who usually attend the events.

This past July, I was honored to be able to sail on the frigate USS Constitution, “Old Ironsides,” on her turn around cruise. I got to explore every inch of her open to the public. Members of the crew, in historical uniforms, gave interesting presentations throughout the ship about the dangerous life on a warship in the “old days.” We landlubbers also got to see sailors demonstrate how to load a cannon. When it came time to fire, they shouted out a hearty “BOOM”—so much fun. Talk about being in heaven.

Constitution was never defeated in battle, and stepping onto her deck was awe-inspiring. She’s still a commissioned ship in the United States Navy.

I’d love it if you read a sample of Resonance and dropped me a line too. I’m always interested in what you have to say and any questions you may have. Don’t be a stranger.

Resonance

Bea is never lucky in love. There’s always something missing sooner or later. No man has ever been able to end the emptiness plaguing her. She’s just about ready to stop torturing herself with the possibilities–destined to live the rest of her life unfulfilled.

Enjoying a girls’ day out with her best friend, Bea discovers an old record album by her all-time favorite rock band. Why is she thrilled and enchanted by Maximilian’s face gazing up at her? He didn’t hold that power over her in the past, and he died ten years ago.

That night, researching him on the Internet well into the wee hours, she learns Maximilian never found his lasting love.

Bea decides to enter her birth date and his into her trusted astrology site for a compatibility report. The results slash through her already wounded heart.

Bea and Maximilian are soul mates! How is this possible? He’s gone. Any hope of finding that one enduring flame is gone with him. Or, is it?

Would time be willing to give Bea and Maximilian another chance?

Get your copy here!

www.carolsmithwrites.com

Many thanks to Delilah for the opportunity to guest blog. I enjoyed it.
I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving.

For you Americans, today is a big holiday! In the Devlin house, we’re gearing up for the big meal. My cousin, author Brent Archer, flew in from Seattle with his husband, Greg, last night. They began cooking for us last night! (I have clean-up duty. No one trusts me at the stove!) My sister, Elle James, and her husband are here. With my dad fresh out of rehab, our goal is to give him and my mother a stress-free celebration.

I hope you all enjoy visiting with friends and family. Stay safe if you’re traveling!

Happy Thanksgiving!

“The only place where success comes before work is a dictionary.”
~ Anonymous

I’m posting late. I had work to finish before I could turn my thoughts to ordinary things like writing this blog. I finished edits for a friend a little while ago. I needed to get it out the door before I could fully enjoy the company upstairs. We have a houseful of visitors, and here I am in my writing cave, trying to clear my To Do list.

I hope you’re having a more restful time than I am. I’m getting ready to close out my monitor and join the fun upstairs. And tomorrow, I won’t give a single thought to the story I have to write by the end of the month… 🙂

BTW, I could have written the quote at the top of the page. It’s wry, and maybe the  mysterious author was sticking out his or her tongue when she penned it. Wish I’d been that clever first.

For those of you who don’t know, my sister Elle James and I started out writing stories together. We were busy learning the craft and leaning on each other’s strengths. One of us was better at dialogue, the other better at description…one of us was better with love scenes…  In the end, we wrote several stories together before heading off in our own directions. One thing we loved writing together was romantic comedy. When we brainstormed a new story, we’d have each other in stitches from laughter. We wrote a series of comedies, all set in Texas (we were both living there at the time!), about friends who’d made it big but hadn’t yet found their true loves. This post is just a reminder that there’s an entire series of fun awaiting you…

Here are all the Texas Billionaires Club stories…

  Click on the covers to learn more!

Contest

Win your choice of one of our Texas Billionaire Club stories!
There will be 3 winners! All you have to do to enter is answer me this…

What’s your favorite romantic comedy movie?

Tarzan & Janine

See what happens when a secret billionaire and an aspiring actress get a little wild in Texas

A man with a soft spot for women…

Closet Texas billionaire, Tanner Peschke has three months to prove he can make a profit at the family used car dealership or he will lose his job, disappoint his father and break his promise to his dying mother. The root of his problem is women. He can’t resist them—any of them. All it takes is the scent of delicate perfume or a misty-eyed gaze from an elderly woman with a sob story, and he becomes silly putty in the hands of his feminine customers. Until, with a stroke of luck and a buck of a mechanical bull, he hires Janine Davis to star with him in the dealership’s live TV ads.

A woman who won’t let a handsome cowboy get in the way of her dream…

Determined to make a name for herself, Janine needs to pay the bills between acting jobs. The offer to do a series of commercials for Peschke Motors is a chance to get her face “out there”. Recognizing a player when she sees one, Janine agrees to co-star with her handsome employer fully intending to keep their relationship strictly professional. First break she gets, she’s heading to Hollywood.

Their jungle-themed commercials take a crazy twist, and Tanner finds himself falling…from a sales banner while chasing a monkey. But more importantly, he’s falling for Janine. She’s just the one woman to tame this cowboy’s wild heart. Convincing her to stay with him might be harder than catching a mischievous monkey.

Order Ebook: Kindle | Nook | Kobo | iBooks
Order Print: Amazon

Excerpt

“It’s time, Miss Davis,” came a male voice, not Tanner’s, through the hollow panel of the bathroom door.

“I’ll be right out,” she called. Alternating between tugging down the hem of the bottoms to cover her fanny, and pulling up the top to cover her breasts, she stormed out of the bathroom, across the showroom floor, and out into the lighted car lot.

Judging by the gauntlet of wolf calls she passed through to get to the television crew, every salesman in the dealership must have stayed late. They all wanted to witness the live filming by a group of college students Tanner hired to keep the budget low. As part of the crew’s curriculum requirement, the commercial would air live on the university’s public television station.

A man carrying a spider monkey approached and shoved the critter into her arms. “This is Spunky. You need to keep a hold on the monkey at all times, or he’ll take off. Catching him will take us hours.”

“Hey! Nobody said anything about a monkey.” Janine pushed the little guy back at his handler, but the jerk turned and trotted to a position beyond the spotlights. Her chances of being taken seriously as an actress slipping through the seams of her skimpy costume and the busy fingers of the monkey, Janine suppressed the urge to scream.

“Quiet, everybody. Two minutes to take,” the young director’s voice boomed through a megaphone. “Where’s Tanner?”

The animal handler called to Janine from the sidelines. “Remember, whatever you do, don’t let go of the monkey.”

“Right, don’t let go of the monkey.” Janine’s head swiveled side to side in search of the nutcase who’d talked her into this crazy commercial. She’d felt more in control on the bucking mechanical bull at the convention than she did right now.

Suddenly, the crowd of used car salesmen parted. Tanner strode toward her with his long, loose-limbed gait and all the confidence and charm of a professional actor. Tanner, dressed casually in his ever-present blue jeans, chambray shirt, cowboy hat and cowboy boots, smiled as he worked his way through the crowd of onlookers.

Janine snorted. I’ll bet he’s never ridden a horse a day in his life.

He walked right up and turned the full force of his smile on her.

Damn. Her knees went weak, complementing the butterflies in her stomach and the monkey fidgeting in her arms.

As the cameras moved into position, panic filled her. “You never told me what my lines were. What am I supposed to say?”

“Just stand over there and look beautiful. I’ll do all the rest.” He adjusted his hat with enough confidence for both of them. “And smile when I introduce you. That frown makes you look mean.”

Janine opened her mouth to carve his enormous ego down to size and remind him she was an actress, not a model.

Before one word could cross Janine’s lips, she was cut off by the cameraman. “Mr. Peschke, I hope you’re ready because this is not a rehearsal, you’re going live in five…four…three…two…” He pointed ‘one’. The camera was trained on Tanner, the red button lit, and the feed was direct.

Without missing a beat, Tanner smiled, looking completely at ease in front of the camera. “Howdy, folks. It’s a jungle out there. We know how difficult wading through the gimmicks and sales jargon is when buying a used car.”

She had to admit he sounded charming and genuine. After sabotaging her job with BS-Squared, he’d conned Janine into taking this job. She bet he could sell ice to Eskimos.

Spunky’s hairy little hand slipped beneath the bra of her outfit.

Janine slapped at his hand, eliciting a shriek from the monkey. “You must be a male,” she muttered, wishing Tanner would fall on his pretty face in front of the camera.

“Are you sick of the new car prices and immediate depreciation when you drive a car off the lot? Let us take the monkey off your back…” Tanner swung an arm in her direction.

Spunky crawled up on her shoulders and played with her hair. How about getting this monkey off my back? Crap. She’d spent hours trying to fix her hair beautifully for the commercial. Great, when they finally get the cameras on me, I look like the monkey.

“…and show you what we’ve got in low mileage, pre-owned vehicles at rock-bottom prices.”

At that moment, the creature latched onto the strings holding her halter-top in place. She felt her boobs dip and her stomach knotted.

“Stop that, Spunky,” she whispered, making a grab for both of his tiny, dexterous fingers and the tail that seemed just as facile.

The monkey ignored her, chattering happily, hands and tail dodging her flailing attempts.

“Join us this weekend for our ‘Monkey Off Your Back Sale.’ We’ll be servin’ free banana milkshakes to all the folks who come out.” Tanner’s voice kept up the running monologue despite the monkey’s antics, true to form for a car salesman.

Janine simmered as she struggled for control. Let’s get this over with before this monkey craps on me.

Win a small Amazon gift card! All you have to do is tell me a little story. See the picture of the sexy guy below? Tell me what you think this picture is all about. Maybe start with why he’s there, why his clothes are torn, what’s that look in his eyes mean? Is he wanting conversation or a fight? And what are you doing while you’re watching him?

So many possible scenarios! You can be brief or tell me a little story. I can’t wait to read your takes! NOW, GO!